Pets, from fish to furry, are blessed at school

Pastor Michael-Dwight shares a little kiss with Benny, a bichon frise who was brought to St. Angela Merici Parish School in Brea for a blessing during a celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi Friday morning.KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

BREA – Had a large boat been at St. Angela Merici’s Parish School on Friday, the school’s blacktop would have resembled the loading dock for Noah’s ark.

The 300 students of this Brea school assembled outside with their pets – dogs, turtles, hamsters, a parakeet – for St. Angela’s eighth annual Blessing of the Animals.

Amid a cacophony of barking and chirping, the first-grade class led a short prayer-and-song ceremony, after which the Rev. Michael Dwight walked around and individually blessed each animal. The school blesses its pupils’ pets every year during the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, commemorating the life of the 12th-century preacher known as the patron saint of animals and the environment.

“I wanted him to get blessed,” said Savannah Benton, 7, about Chewbacca, a half-pit bull, half-boxer, “because he never goes to church.”

Pastor Michael-Dwight shares a little kiss with Benny, a bichon frise who was brought to St. Angela Merici Parish School in Brea for a blessing during a celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi Friday morning. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Pastor Michael-Dwight, left, pets Bruno the English springer spaniel before a blessing of animals at St. Angela Merici Parish School in Brea Friday morning in celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Students and their families brought all kinds of pets, from dogs to goldfish, to get a blessing from the pastor. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Pastor Michael-Dwight, right, blesses a kindergartner's stuffed animal during an animal blessing ceremony at St. Angela Merici Parish School in Brea Friday morning. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Kindergartners wait in a group with their stuffed animals in order to get a blessing for their fluffy companions from Pastor Michael-Dwight on Friday morning at St. Angela Merici Parish School in Brea. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Eighth grader Raymond Bernal, 13, holds a cage with his pet cockatiel Bernie as he awaits a blessing from Pastor Michael-Dwight Friday morning at St. Angela Merici Parish School in Brea. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A kindergartner holds his pet fish in a container while waiting for a blessing for his pet during a celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi Friday morning at St. Angela Merici Parish School. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Pastor Michael-Dwight, right, blesses a student's stuffed animal during an animal blessing ceremony at St. Angela Merici Parish School in Brea Friday morning. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Jacob Rand of Diamond Bar, 11, holds his pet dog Lilly while waiting for a blessing from Pastor Michael-Dwight during a celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi Friday morning at St. Angela Merici Parish School in Brea. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Fourth grader Kate Toller, 9, looks at her pet betta fish Bobby, which she brought to school Friday for a blessing from Pastor Michael-Dwight during an animal blessing ceremony at St. Angela Merici Parish School in Brea. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Lauren Rosado, 10, left, holds her pet dog Jolie next to Carlie Johnnie, 10, who holds her pet dog Amie as the two friends await Pastor Michael-Dwight for an animal blessing Friday morning at St. Angela Merici Parish School in Brea. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Pastor Michael-Dwight, left, blesses a puppy at St. Angela Merici Parish School in Brea Friday morning in celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Students and their families brought all kinds of home pets, from dogs to goldfish, in order to get a blessing from the pastor. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Pastor Michael-Dwight gives a blessing to a pet gecko during an animal blessing at St. Angela Merici Parish School in Brea Friday morning in celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Pastor Michael-Dwight shares a kiss with a pet dog who was brought to St. Angela Merici Parish School in Brea for a blessing during a celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi Friday morning. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Nicole Alatorre, 5, second from left, laughs while Pastor Michael-Dwight gives a blessing to her pet pomeranian Leo during an animal blessing ceremony at St. Angela Merici Parish School in Brea in celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A dog is blessed by Pastor Michael-Dwight, who visited St. Angela Merici Parish School in Brea Friday morning to bless students' pets in celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A dog is blessed by Pastor Michael-Dwight, who visited St. Angela Merici Parish School in Brea Friday morning to bless students' pets in celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Pastor Michael-Dwight, right, blesses Raymond Bernal's pet cockatiel Bernie Friday morning at St. Angela Merici Parish School in Brea. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Pastor Michael-Dwight looks at a pet cockatiel which was brought in its cage from home to St. Angela Merici Parish School Friday morning for a blessing during a celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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